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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bush-bashing became the nation's favorite spectator sport over the weekend as Michael Moore's red-hot documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" earned more in its first three days of release across North America than his previous record-breaking movie did in its entire run.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, "Fahrenheit 9/11," in which Moore takes aim at President Bush (news - web sites), and the war in Iraq (news - web sites), opened at No. 1 after selling about $21.8 million worth of tickets in the United States and Canada since June 25.

All told, the movie's total stands at $21.96 million, because it got a head-start on Wednesday in two Manhattan theaters to help build more media buzz before expanding to a relatively modest 868 theaters two days later. (By contrast, most of the other movies in the top five were playing in more than 2,500 theaters each.)

Moore's previous movie, "Bowling for Columbine," which nabbed the Academy Award for best documentary last year, grossed about $21.5 million during its nine-month run, peaking at about 250 theaters, according to Moore. That haul was a record for a documentary in regular movie theaters.

"These are mind-blowing numbers," Moore said during a conference call, "And the fact that all the predictions that the movie would only speak to the choir and that it would only be those who don't like Bush coming to the movie, I don't think have turned out to be true."

Indeed, "Fahrenheit 9/11" played strongly in big cities and small towns, in Democrat and Republican states, said Tom Ortenberg, the president of distribution at Lions Gate (news - web sites) Films, one of the firms that backed the movie.

"FAHRENHEIT" FRENZY

According to exit surveys in about 15 cities, 91 percent of respondents gave the film an "excellent" rating, while 93 percent said they would "definitely recommend" the film -- tallies that Ortenberg said were the best he had ever seen. The core audience was aged between 25 and 34, he added.

Lions Gate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, partnered on the film's distribution with IFC Films, a unit of Cablevision Systems Corp.'s Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, and Miramax co-chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein. The Weinsteins bought the movie's rights with their own money after Miramax parent Walt Disney Co. refused to let them release it under the Miramax banner.

The Disney brouhaha, which broke in early May, weeks before "Fahrenheit 9/11" went on to win the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival (news - web sites), helped give the movie a huge public profile virtually unprecedented for a $6 million documentary.

Moore and the Weinsteins, well-practiced masters of media spin, were also helped in their efforts by grassroots groups from both sides of the political fence that chimed in with their opinions. Moore thanked his detractors for helping boost awareness and ticket sales.

While Moore has previously boasted that "Fahrenheit 9/11" would help Bush lose his job in November, he backed down during the teleconference, merely hoping that the film would inspire the large non-voting bloc to be "an active participant in our democracy." Similarly, Moore reversed himself on previously stated plans to release the DVD version of the film in October. "No deal has been done to do that," he said.

But one thing is certain. The Oscar race is now definitely underway ahead of next year's Feb. 27 ceremony, with "Fahrenheit 9/11" joining Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" as the highest-profile contender. "We have big plans for the award season, absolutely," Ortenberg said.

Elsewhere at the box office, the comedy "White Chicks" opened at No. 2 with $19.6 million for the weekend, and $27.1 million since bowing nationally on Wednesday. Last weekend's champion, "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," fell to No. 3 with $18.5 million, and a 10-day haul of $67.2 million.

Steven Spielberg's "The Terminal," starring Tom Hanks, fell two places to No. 4 with $13.9 million, and a 10-day total of $41.8 million. Director Nick Cassavetes' "The Notebook," a tear-jerker romance based on the Nicholas Sparks bestseller," opened at No. 5 with a solid $13 million.

"White Chicks" was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news) (news - web sites) . "Dodgeball" was released by Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc . "The Terminal" was released by DreamWorks SKG, which is privately held. "The Notebook" was released by New Line Cinema, a unit of Time Warner Inc .

I saw the movie in a Theatre with seating for 500, I and others stood for the entire show it was packed. The film is loaded with film clips, photographic images, referenced to documentation , interviews with Senators, FBI, State Troopers, Deputy Sheriff's, Congressmen, Soldier's, Iraqi's when you leave there is no doubt about anything in the show only questions on why this ( The Bush Administration) was allowed to continue. All you nay sayers have a laugh because those who view this film have their opinion that you can not influance and they will be heard in November, and when the vote will be this close Bush does not need this, but deserves everybit of what he will get when he is shown the door in 2004

I can't tell you how happy that makes me to hear. I knew that most of our libertarian brethren were at least intellectually honest people, regardless of whether I agree with them or not. It's good to see that people who might think they're not going to like the film or agree with it are open minded enough to see it anyway and make their own fucking decisions about the facts contained therein.

I sure wish more would learn from you, MM, and follow your example. I'll be interested to hear what you think.

Gern

--------------------There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.
-- Howard Zinn

I saw it the first day it came out over, it was a 10 AM show and yet it was still pretty packed. It's going to be getting a lot of money and a lot of viewers, but whether or not it will make a difference has yet to be seen

It wasn't bad, very funny when he was asking the congressman to send their kids off to help fight the War on Iraq. I'm sure some of the facts were distorted or only showed one side of them, but it's the same with the news and mostly everything else made by a human, it's all a reflection of their ideology and opinions

--------------------So long as you are praised think only that you are not yet on your own path but on that of another.

Quote:Ravus said:It wasn't bad, very funny when he was asking the congressman to send their kids off to help fight the War on Iraq. I'm sure some of the facts were distorted or only showed one side of them

Like how Moore left out the congressman's reply where he states it is illegal to send their own kids off to serve but mentions his 2 nephews in iraqi and then offers to hand out Moore's flyers to other congressmen?

Moore is notorious for editing things to create exactly the message he wants, such as the part (that wasn't) in "Bowling for Columbine" where they gave him a background check at the bank before handing him the rifle.

Of course, that's entirely different from creating an interesting and entertaining film, which Moore excels at.

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Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a night. Light a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

In my town in KY the theater is already sold out for the next 2 weeks and a guy i know that works their says people from other states and towns have been calling to get tickets b/c their theaters are sold out as well. finally revenge for that stupid anti semetic movie that fox news released call the passions of the hitler or whatever